Dana White says Nate Diaz at welterweight would be “a big mistake”

UFC lightweight Nate Diaz looked like he would be a force in the division for years after putting together a three-fight run featuring wins over Takanori Gomi, Donald Cerrone, and Jim Miller. Though he failed in his effort to have his hand raised against champion Benson Henderson, the loss seemed to be little more than a speed-bump in his career rather than a major setback.

However, days before duking it out with Josh Thomson at UFC on FOX 7, Diaz said he’d grown tired of fighting at 155 pounds and wanted to return to the welterweight where he went 2-2 over a span between 2010-2011. While Diaz’s desire piqued the interest of countless fans, much of the intrigue was laid to waste on Saturday night when Thomson turned Diaz’s lights out in the second round of their showdown.

UFC President Dana White was asked about Diaz’s prospects at a heavier weight after the post-event press conference where, as might be expected, the outspoken executive advised the Stockton scrapper against making a move.

“I think going to 170 is a big mistake. Big, strong guys at 170,” said White. “He can make 155 (and) look what happened tonight at 155.”

i think there might be more to it, than a another loss I think that all the fighters in Cesar Gracies Gym Are on a loss or a losing skid. Maybe they all need to change it up some. They all have been training together for so long. They have the same strengths and weaknesses. Nick’s 0-2 Nate is like0-2 .Jake shields is like 1-2 Melendez is 0-1. Sorryit does not sound like luck to me. :[

Those guys dominated Strikeforce for a long time (Jake, Nick and Gilbert all held titles concurrently), and Nate won TUF, so he’s got pretty strong credentials as well.

I agree that none of those guys is at the absolute pinnacle of his weight class, but their weakest guy is probably a LOT better than any other gym’s. So maybe they were voted best MMA gym for *depth* of talent.

That could be it elsicilian, and while I like one of the Gracie fighters a lot, I just can’t see the gym being considered better then Jacksons, ATT, AKA, Xtreme Couture, or some of the others. I mean Jackson’s has probably one of the largest gyms currently.